Calm Before the Storm
by AliceInScribbleLand
Summary: Takes place at the end of 2.13 'The Fires of Idirsholas'. Morgana/Morgause  I know I know so wrong but so right
1. Chapter 1

A/N: So, these two have been haunting my thoughts lately and I had to take a shot at it. I know this scene is a bit redundant, but until Season 3 starts back up there's not much [cannon] to work with : )

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Morgana awoke slowly. The first thing she realized was how thirsty she was. More than dry, it was burning all through her mouth and down her throat. She looked around her strange surroundings and tried to remember what had happened. It was no good. The memories weren't there. Pulling the covers away from her body she sat up. She wasn't ready for the dizziness that followed and held her head gently in her hands.

She closed her eyes and heard the soft singing; it was a voice that soothed her. The familiar voice eased the room into focus, finally allowing her to let go of her head. Slowly, she lay back on the bed, her body betraying her mind. She tried to get off the bed and go to the voice, but she couldn't muster the energy.

Morgause stayed in the shadows, she wasn't ready to make herself known just yet. Morgana was not strong enough to deal with the truths that waited her. The poison that had tainted her body had left her weak and fragile. Now was a time for healing.

She watched the younger woman with worry in her eyes. There were not many things that broke through her cold exterior. Before Morgana, she'd had no weaknesses. Now, things were different. Now, her sister was lying in her bed fighting against the poison that coursed through her system.

The witch could see Morgana fighting to get up and continued her singing until finally the younger woman's body stilled with slow and steady breaths. Once she was sure the dark haired beauty was sleeping soundly, she stepped into the room.

Morgause sat on the side of the bed looking at the young ward, her fears coming to surface. "Morgana," she whispered, softly. She'd had plan and it had been a good one. She hadn't counted on anyone realizing Morgana was involved. No one else should have been awake and definitely not long enough to realize what was happening.

She slid of the bed crumbling to the ground next to the bed. Morgause reached for her sister's hand and pulled it to her lips. Flashing back to her interactions with Merlin, she cursed herself for hesitating. It was an easy choice: Uther's life for Morgana's. There was no question about whether it would be worth the price. Morgana was by far more important; and yet, she'd hesitated. Refusing to cower at the hand of a boy, she had nearly lost the only person she'd held at any level of affection.

Letting a worried glance pass over the younger woman she realized that her pride might still cost her. Wiping at the tears she hadn't realized she'd cried, Morgause rose to her feet and steeled her resolve. "I will save you," she promised her younger counterpart. She had given her the antidote the first moment she could, but there were other things she could do to make it easier.

Whimpering in her sleep, Morgana began to make small rasping noises from her throat. Reaching for a bowl of water and a cloth, she let the water drip between her sleeping companion's lips. There wasn't enough water in all of Camelot to ease the thirst she knew Morgana must feel, but she hoped it would help.

"Shh," she murmured, softly. She took her time dipping the rag in the bowl and squeezing it over her sister's mouth until Morgana finally settled. Three days had passed, since they had left Camelot. Three days full of worrying and watching. Three nights full of screams and fevered panic. Morgause could tell that her presence helped, but nothing would fully take away the betrayal her younger sister must feel.

Murmuring soft words near her sister's ear, she hoped they'd be enough to forget for a short while. Morgause would have to tell her eventually, but until she got stronger, the only time Morgana seemed to remember was when she was fevered and delusional. The spell wasn't a strong one, but it should be enough to erase that afternoon from her sister's mind until she healed. For now, Morgause would simply have to wait.


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Bonus points to anyone who finds the stolen line and knows what it's from : )

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There were two things left that she could be thankful for. Morgana was alive and the few times that she had woken up, she hadn't seemed to remember what happened. During her sleep she often relieved that horrid afternoon, but never while she was awake.

Those nights were the hardest for Morgause. Watching her sister in anguish and not being able to do a thing. She'd tried every sleeping remedy and spell she knew. Nothing helped when the fever came. Each night she sat at her sister's bedside and watched over her. The nightmares were getting more intense and she wondered if that was a sign of things getting worse or better.

The spell she'd used seemed to help Morgana forget during her brief moments of consciousness, but once the fever came, it seemed the memories were pouring through tenfold. She began to wonder if she should just let Morgana remember. She was still weak physically, but the toll of the nightmares seemed to be doing as much damage as anything else.

Emotionally raw and deprived of sleep, Morgause sat next to the younger woman's bedside. All was silent until her own ironic laughter broke the stillness. She had failed. Hadn't it been her that asked Morgana if she was willing to destroy Uther no matter what the cost? Hadn't Morgana turned her back on her entire world in order to make that happen? Yet, Morgause was the one to break.

She had told herself that meeting Morgana was dangerous. No matter how much of an in it gave her into Uther's personal world. It was too risky. She had been right. Her plans and all future plans were ruined with that first meeting. She hadn't one chink in her armor until the day she'd stood face to face with the younger woman.

Before Morgana, there was little worth saving in Morgause's life. Plans of Uther's demise outweighed even her own existence. They didn't outweigh the young brunette, though. Her safety meant more to Morgause than a lifetime of training and planning. She'd proved that when she broke down at the hand of that boy.

Morgana's moans broke the silence and the gasp of breath that followed signaled another nightmare. Biting her bottom lip, Morgause made a decision. Grabbing the younger woman's hand she began to repeat the words that would remove the spells she'd placed to protect. It was time for them both to face the truth.

Climbing into bed, she pulls the beauty into her arms and sooths away the worst of the terrors. "Shhh love," Morgause whispered, as the younger woman's cries fell against her shoulder.

Incoherent words slipped from Morgana's lips, repeatedly reminding the blond of how close to the brink her companion really was.

Just as Morgause was drifting off, Morgana tugged on her hand. "Hmm?" Morgause asked, barely keeping her eyes open.

"You still owe me a new pair of boots," Morgana replied, still half asleep.

Morgause looked at the younger woman perplexed, but eventually discarded the comment as more rambling. She promised herself that she would move before Morgana wakes up, but for that moment she just needs a few hours of sleep.


End file.
